Preformed Line Products Company (PLPC) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

Per the Roarable RQD rating, PLPC scores 52 out of 100, a D+ grade with the verdict "Roarable Sell — Weak Fundamentals / Trim." The five pillars break down as follows. The fundamental cash engine scores 11 of 20, anchored by an ROIC of 8.6% and a free-cash-flow yield of 2.13%. Whale and 13F flow scores 6 of 20, indicating weak institutional accumulation and options positioning signals. Insider conviction scores 11 of 20, reflecting SEC Form 4 and Congressional PTR cluster flow. Macro regime fit scores 9 of 20, with a beta of 1.0 and sector sensitivity as the drivers. Forensic balance sheet scores 15 of 20, the strongest pillar, supported by an Altman Z-Score of 2.5, a Piotroski F-Score of 8/9, and a Debt/Equity of 0.07.

For a prospective investor, the practical reading is that the balance sheet is the strongest element of the case, while valuation and institutional signals are the weakest. Per the market data, the stock trades at a P/E (TTM) of 44.3 and a forward P/E of 37.2, with an FCF yield of 2.13%, which leaves limited margin of safety on cash returns. The upside driver is the low leverage and high Piotroski score; the valuation tradeoff is that earnings multiples are elevated relative to the cash yield; and the weak whale-flow pillar suggests limited institutional conviction at the current price. The RQD verdict is a rating output and is presented here for educational context only, not as personalized advice.

Preformed Line Products Company (PLPC) is a NASDAQ-listed issuer classified in the Industrials sector, within the Water Sewer Pipeline Comm & Power Line Construction industry. The profile describes it as operating in this industry with a market capitalization of $1.6B. Not available in source data: the specific product lines, customer base, and revenue-generation mechanics beyond the sector and industry classification.

Per the market data, gross margin is 31.2%, operating margin 8.2%, and net margin 5.3%, with ROIC of 8.6%. Per the Roarable RQD rating, the Altman Z-Score is 2.5 and the Piotroski F-Score is 8/9. Debt/Equity is 0.07 per the RQD forensic pillar. Reported net income and free cash flow declined across the three periods shown, while debt rose from N/A in FY 2023 to $32.9M in FY 2025.

Per the recent news feed, the headlines include a Seeking Alpha piece stating that PLPC "Needs To Fall Further Before An Upgrade Can Be On The Table" (a CATALYST-tagged item), a Yahoo Finance headline on third-quarter 2026 financial results, and a marketscreener.com flash reporting Q3 revenue of $209.5M against a FactSet estimate of $215.0M. A Quiver Quantitative item reports Q3 sales rising 18% to $209.5 Million. A weekly profile reports shares closing near $397 with essentially flat movement. Note that the weekly profile's figure conflicts with the $320.01 price in the market data. The Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph contains no supply-chain links and no proprietary signals.

Risk watch items: Q3 revenue appears below the cited FactSet estimate, and the market data shows a -8.26% price change.

• What is the reconciled current share price, given the $320.01 market data figure versus the "$397" reference in the weekly profile headline?
• What are the reported EPS, cash balances, and debt-level details for FY 2023, which are absent from the financial table?
• What drove the decline in net income and free cash flow from FY 2023 through FY 2025, and is the Q3 revenue shortfall versus estimate a sustained trend?
• Which product lines and customers generate PLPC's revenue, and how does that exposure affect the macro-regime pillar's sector sensitivity?
• What do the analyst consensus, price targets, and insider or 13F holder data show, given that these sections are empty in the source data?